Acetylene-gas lamp.



T N0. 7|0,203.' Paten'tedsept. 30, 1902.

' A. K. MILLER.

AGE-TYLENE GAS LAMP.

Application filed Oct. 26, 1898.)

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(No Modl.)

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Patented Sept. 30, 1902. K. MILLER. AGETYLENE GAS LAMP. (Applicatiqn filed Oct. 26, 1898.)

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(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

ARTHUR K. MILLER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ACETYLENE- GAS LAIV P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,203, dated September 30, 1902.

Application filed October 26, 1898.

T0 (LZZ whom, it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR K. MILLER, rea siding in New York city, borough of Brooklyn, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements in the class of lamps adapted to produce gas from the action of water upon calcic carbid; and one of the objects of my invention is to produce a uniform water and gas feed; and to this end the invention consists in a pair of receptacles or chambers connected by passage-ways at or near their opposite ends,one of which receptaclesis adapted to contain carbid and the other water and means for regulating the passage of the water to the carbide.

Another object of the invention is to enable the simultaneous regulation of the supplyof water to the carbid and the passage of gas' evolved, and for this purpose the invention consists in a pair of receptacles having a connecting water-passage, one of which receptacles is adapted to contain carbid and the other water, a gas-pipe connected with one or both of said receptacles to carry off the'gas evolved by the action of the water and the carbid, and cocks connected with the waterpassage and with the gaspipe and so arranged that they will operate to simultaneously regulate the passage of water to the carbid and the passage of gas from the gas-receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cook or valve adapted to regulate the passage of liquid or gas; and this portion of the invention consists in a chamber having a narrow slit for the passage of liquid or gasand a stemadapted to fit within said chamber and having a bore to communicate with an inlet or outlet, which stem has a tapering socket in its side located at substantially right angles "to said slit and leading to said bore, whereby as the stem is rotated the passage of liquid or gas will be regulated, according to which portion of said socket is brought in line with said slit.

The invention also consists in the novel details of improvement and the combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and then pointed out in the claims.

Serial No. 694.586. (No model.)

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, Wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a lamp embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof,the reflector being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. lis ahorizontal section, enlarged, on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, enlarged, on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical section,,enlarged, through the gas-valve; and Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 in Fig. 5.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, 1 2 indicate receptacles or chambers which are shown in the form of cylinders having removable caps 1 l 2* 2, respectively, at the ends,which caps may be connected therewith by screwthreads or otherwise The caps 1 2 are shown provided with safety-valves 3 4:, adapted to open outwardly. The receptacles 1 2 are connected at or near their ends by passage-ways, for which purpose I have shown castings, tubes, or the like 5 6, secured to the corresponding sides of said receptacles and communicating with apertures therein, whereby water and gas may pass from one receptacle to the other. The casting 5 is shown provided with four ways, two of which communicate, respectively, with receptacles 1 2 and with a central chamber 5 adapted to contain a filtering medium-such as mineral.

wool, asbestos, charcoal, cotton, or the liketo filter gas. One of these ways is shown provided with a cap 7, which may be connected therewith by screw-threads, and the other way is shown connected with a tube or pipe -8, which is to lead gas to a burner 9, which maybe of any suitable construction. As tube 8 is exposed to the air, it acts as a condenser to cool the gas in its passage to burner or tip 9, preventing excess carbonization at the tip and improving the light. The casting, tube, or the like 6 is shown provided with two ways 6 6 which communicate with apertures in the receptacles 1 2, respectively, and with a chamber 10, adapted to receive the stem 11 of a cook or valve 12. I have shown the chamber 10 and the stem 11 as tapering, so that the latter may fit snugly Within the former sage through the stem 11 are as follows: In

the walls of chamber 10, communicating with the bores 6 '6", are slits 15, that are preferably narrower than long, (see Fig. 7,) and in the surface of stem 11 in line with the bore 14 and also horizontally in line with the slits 15 are socket s 16, that communicate with the bore 14. lhe sockets 16 extend substantially perpendicular to the axis of stem 11 and are preferably triangular in shape, or, in other words, taper from a large end to a fine point, as more clearly shown in Fig. 6. With this arrangement when the small ends of the sockets 16 are presented to the slits 15 only a small amount of liquid can pass, and as the stem is turned the large ends of the sockets will approach the slitsft'hereby gradually increasing the area of the passage-way and enabling more water to pass. Likewise, if the stem is rotated in a reverse direction that is, from the large ends of the sockets toward the small endsthe water will be gradually cut 06. By this means I am enabled to regulate the supply of liquid from receptacle 2 better than if the customary annular bore were used in the stem to coact with the bores in the casting 6. Substantially the same arrangement is provided for regulating the passage of gas to the burner 9. For this purpose I have shown a casting 17 connected with the pipe or tube 6, being shown connected therewith by screw-threads, which casting has a chamber 17-, in which a stem 18 works, the chamber 17 and the stem 18being shown tapered to make a tight fit, a screw 19 being shown threaded in a bore 20 in stem 18 and acting against the casting 17 to draw the parts 17 and 18 together to make a gas-tight joint, a washer 21 being interposed between parts 17 and 19. The bore 20 extends into the stem 18 a suitable distance, and the screw 19 is shown provided with a bore 19, leading to the bore 20 and to the tube 8 to permit the passage of gas from said tube to the bore 20. In the opposite walls of the stem 1 are sockets 22, communicating with the bore 20 in manner similar to that described with relation to the sockets 16 of stem 1l-that is to say, the sockets 22 are triangular or tapering and extend perpendicularly to the axis of stem 18. In the side wall of casting 17 is a slit 23, located at right angles to the sockets22 and communicating with the tube 9, that leads to the burner 9, (see Fig. 4,) whereby as the stem 18 is rotated more or less gas will be allowed to pass, according to the width of the socket 22, that alines with the slit 23 of casting 17. As there are two sockets 16 in stem 11 that are adapted to simultaneously aline with the bores 6 6 of casting 6, I have shown two sockets 22 in the side walls of stem 18, the sockets 22 being at right angles to the sockets 16, because the bores 6 6 are at right angles to the tube 9, and, furthermore, because I prefer to connect the stems 11 and 18 so that they will rotate in unison, whereby as the stem 11 in the example shown can make complete rotations in either direction a socket 22 will always be in line with the slit 23 while the sockets 16 are in line with the bores 6 6 The object in having the stems 11 and 18 connected together, as in a single piece, is because I desire that the amount of gas permitted to pass to the burner 9 will be commensurate with the amount of Water allowed to pass to the carbid and so that as more or less water is passed to the carbid more or less gas will be allowed to pass to the burner 9, whereby a given light may be adjusted and maintained.

24: represents wings connected with the stems 11 and 18,whereby they may be rotated, and in the arrangement shown the stems 11 and 18 and wings 24 are all in a single piece of material. While I have shown the wings 24 as located between the stems 11 and 18, it is evident that the means for rotating said stems may be placed in a different position. It is furthermore evident that my improvements may be utilized in connection with a single stem and alsoin connection with a single socket 16 or 22 in a stem.

It will be understood that calcic carbid is to be placed in one receptacle, as in the receptacle 1, and water in the other receptacle, and in the arrangement shown the gas that is generated in receptacle 1 can pass through the casting or tube 5 into the receptacle 2, above the water therein in the space or compartment 2, which will act as agasometer, and, furthermore, the gasometer equalizes pressure and maintains an equilibrium between the two receptacles, allowing a uniform feed of water and gas. In order to keep the waterin receptacle 2 from passing into receptacle 1 when the device is inverted, I have shown a pipe 25, connected with the casting 5 and leading to the central portion of receptacle 2, and upon the end of said pipe I haveshow'n a chamber or bulb 26, that has an opening 26 at its end and apertures 26 at its upper part, whereby the gas can pass into receptacle. 2 above the water therein, and yet this chamber or bulb 26 will serve to prevent water from passing into pipe 25 when the device is inverted. Furthermore, I prefer to divide the receptacle 2 into two compartments 2 2 by a partition 27, which is shown provided with a funnel-like projection 28, having an opening 29 at its small end, which may be held within the receptacle 2 by friction against the walls thereof or otherwise. The funnel-like projection 28 permits the passage of water from compartment 2 into compartment 2 when the receptacle 2 is being filled, and when the receptacle is inverted it acts to retain waterin compartment 2, more or less, to prevent it from passing into compartment 2 and pipe 25. The arrangernent is such that the carbid in receptacle 1 will be'acted upon by the water from below, so that the gas evolved will pass up through dry carbid to the upper part of receptacle 1 and thence to the gasometer 2 and burner 9. I have shown means for holding the carbid, so as to conveniently place it in and remove the residue from the receptacle 1, which I term a cartridge, and which consists, essentially, of a perforated shell 30, shown substantially in the form of an inverted cone or tapering thimble and a tubular extension 30 at its upper part, which passes into or receives a cap 31, shown provided with a flange 32, which cap may be perforated and adapted to fit within the receptacle 1, and a space may be left between the flange and the receptacle for the passage of gas. The shell 30 and cap 31 may be made of metal, clay, or porcelain. This cartridge is to be charged with the calcic carbid and then inserted in receptacle 1 until its lower end comes to the bottom of the receptacle, and the water from receptacle 2 can 'pass through the perforations in the cartridge, and thus reach the carbid. The peculiar graduated shape of the cartridge prevents an excess generation of gas. Furthermore, as the carbid expands it will rise in the cartridge and may also cause the shell or tube 31 to rise up along the cylindrical portion 30 of the shell 30 to make room for the expanding carbid, and when the residue is to be emptied the cover or covers on the receptacle is or are removed and then the cartridge is withdrawn and emptied, and as the parts 30 31 can be separated the residue can be readily removed and the parts cleaned, if desired.

I prefer to provide means to prevent the too sudden flow of water from receptacle 2 to receptacle 1, and for this purpose in one or both of said receptacles I place fibrous material 33-such, for instance, as a circular cotton wick, which rests against the aperture leading to bore 6 of casting 6, such wick being shown at the lower part of receptacle 1, and the lower end of the carbid is shown pass ing into such wicking. To hold this wicking in place, I have shown a perforated metal ring or tube 3 1, which holds the wicking in contact with the walls of receptacle 1 and into which the cartridge projects. By this means the water passes to the wicking 33, saturates the same, and exudes therefrom, so as to reach the carbid.

My improved lamp in the various forms in which it can be made is adapted for use on bicycles and for household and other purposes. In the example illustrated I have shown it adapted for a bicycle, and for this purpose I have shown a reflector or flamechamber 35 connected with the lamp, as by a stem 36, secured to the tube 8, to which reflector the burner 9 leads, and 39 is a suitable clamp carried by the lamp adapted for attachment to a bicycle in well-known manner.

When the lamp is to be charged, the cooks are closed and the receptacles are supplied with the carbid and water, respectively, and when the lamp is to be used the cocks are turned so that water can pass from receptacle 2 to receptacle 1, wherein it will engage the carbid and evolve acetylene gas in wellknown manner. The gas will pass to the upper part of receptacle 1 and thence through the casting 5 and the filtering material therein, when it is used, to the burner 9 and also to the compartment 2, when there is an excess of gas, said compartment thus acting as a gasometer to store extra gas and to provide for any excess of pressure. However, as the water and gas cocks are to be made so that when the water is turned on the gas can fiow to burner 9 there will be little, if any, liability of an undue amount of gas being generated and little liability of danger, and, furthermore, it will be seen that by the arrangement of the gas and water cocks shown when the light is extinguished by turning off the cock the water will be simultaneously shut 01f, and any gas that might thereafter generate through the dampness of the carbid will be collected in the gasometer 2 and the upper part of receptacle 1.

The lamp is so constructed as to provide for a circulation of air around all the parts to prevent excess heating and danger from expansion.

I do not limit my invention to the precise details of construction shown and described, as they may be varied without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A lamp comprising two vertically-disposed receptacles placed side by side, interposed connections securing said receptacles together, one connection having a bore, a tube connected with and depending from said bore to conduct gas, and a burner connected with said tube, a cock to control the passage of gas from said tube to said burner, the other connection'leading to said receptacles having'a cock to control the passage of water through said connection, substantially as described.

2. A lamp comprising two receptacles, a casting or tube connecting said receptacles near one end, a cock to control said casting or tube, a casting or tube secured to said receptaclesnear the opposite ends and communicatin g with the gas-generating receptacle, a tube depending from said casting or tube, a casting 17 connected with said tube, a burner connected with the casting 17, a cock to control the passage of gas to said burner, and

means for operating said cocks simultaneously, substantially as described.

3. A lamp comprising a pair of receptacles, a casting or tube connecting said receptacles and having a chamber and narrow slits in the wall of said chamber for the passage of liquid,

. a stem located in said chamber and having tapering recesses in its sides communicating through the stem, a passage-way connecting said receptacles near the opposite end, a tube connected with said passage-way, a chamber connected with said tube and having a slit in its wall, a burner communicating with said slit, and a stem in said chamber having a bore and a tapering recess in its side communicating with said bore to coact with said slit in controlling the passage of gas to said burner, substantially as described.

4. In a lamp the combination of two receptacles placed side by side and connected together so as to provide an air-space between them, said receptacles being in communication at their lower ends, a tube communicating with one of said receptacles near its upper end to receive gas therefrom, a burner connected with said tube, and cocks comprising a stem having one portion provided with an aperture adapted to control the passage of liquid between the lower ends of the receptacles, and the other portion having an aperture adapted to control the passage of gas through said tube, substantially as described.

5. In a lamp the combination of two receptacles placed side by side and connected together by interposed castings located near opposite ends thereof, one casting having a bore communicating with both receptacles near their lower ends and also having a chamber, the other casting communicating with -the gas-generating receptacle, a tube connected with said casting, another casting connected with said tube and provided with a chamber, a burner connected with said chamber, and cooks comprising a stem having a portion located in the chamber of the lower casting and having an aperture therein, another portion of said stem being located in the chamber of the third-mentioned casting and having an aperture, whereby said cocks may simultaneously control the passage of liquid and gas, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a pair of receptacles connected together by castings near opposite ends and spaced apart to provide an air-space between them, the lower casting having a passage-way and a cock to regulate the same, the upper casting communicating with the gas-generating receptacle, a tube connected with said casting, a burner connected with said tube, a cock to control the passage of gas through said tube, a reflector to which the burner leads, and a support for the reflector connected to said tube, substantially as described.

7 The combination of two receptacles placed side by side and connected together by castings located near opposite ends, the lower casting having a passage-way connected with said receptacles and a cock to control said passage-way, the upper casting communicating with the gas-generating receptacle,a tube connected with said casting, a casting connected with said tube andhaving a chamber, a burner connected with said chamber, and a cock having a bore leading into the same axially and leading through the sidewall at an angle to the axis thereof to communicate with said burner, substantially as described.

8. In a lamp the combination of two receptacles connected together by a passage-way, means to control the passage of water through said passage-way, a burner connected with one of said receptacles, a carbid-holder provided with a flange and comprising two shells one adapted to receive theother, one shell having perforations, a space being formed between the walls of the receptacle and the carbid-holder, and a circular absorbent or fibrous material surrounding the perforations of said shell, substantially as described.

9. In a lamp the combination of two receptaclesconnected together by a passage-way, means to control the passage of liquid through said passage-way, a burner connectedwith one of said receptacles, and a carbid-holder com prising a perforated shell and a shell detachably connected therewith and having a flange adapted to fit within one of said receptacles, to provide a space between the walls of the receptacle and the carbidholder, and an absorbent or fibrous material surrounding the perforations of said shell, substantially as described.

10. A carbid-holder comprising a shell perforated near one end, and a cap connected to the opposite end, said cap havinga flange to fit within a receptacle to provide a space around the carbid-holder, and an absorbent or fibrous material surrounding the perforated shell, in combination with a receptacle to receive said carbid-holder, substantially as described.

11. A lamp comprising two receptacles placed side by side, interposed connections.

securing said receptacles together, one connection leading to said receptacles and having a cock to control the passage of water through said connection, a burner, and a tube communicating with the other of said connections and depending therefrom outside of i the receptacle to communicate with the burner, the gas in the carbid-receptacle having access to the delivery end of the waterpassage, substantially as described.

12. A lamp comprising two receptacles secured togetherside by side, a water-passage connecting said receptacles to permit water to feed from one to carbid in the other, a carbid-holder, a burner communicating with the carbid-receptacle, the delivery end of the water-passage in the carbid-receptacle being open to the action of the gas in said receptacle, an absorbent material in the carbid-receptacle opposed to the delivery end of the water-passage, and means to control the passage of water to the carbid, substantially as described.

' 13. A lamp comprising two receptacles secured together side by side, a water-passage connecting said receptacles to permit water sorbent material interposed between the carto feed from one to carbid in the other, a bid-holder and the delivery end of the waterburner communicating with the carbid-l'epassage, substantially as described.

ceptacle, acarbid-holder provided with means ARTHUR K. MILLER. to establish within the carbid-receptacle a Witnesses: gas-space in communication with the deliv- JOHN A. STRALEY,

my end of the Water-receptacle, and an ab- T. F. BOURNE. 

